Following my Heart Part 5: Manhattan

Our artist friend Mehdi aka Action Figure James Nice, has visited us in the Pacific NorthWest. His arrival brought back many memories from the magical time we all had back in Manhattan. It was a time where I fell in love with my husband and a time where I was welcomed by an international group of talented young artistic people.

We celebrated our lives with inspirational and spiritual conversations. We shared open hearted friendship. We admired eachother's art. But most importantly we danced. We danced all together to the rythm of our beautiful lives and times in the most vibrant city I have ever visited.

See you on the dancefloor

How impressed I was by New York City when I first visited it in December 2001. There I was hand in hand with a guy I had met on the Island of Bali in Indonesia just a few months earlier. This guy, who is now my husband, opened up a whole new world to me.

It was not a world of glamour, glitter and riches which New York City seems to exude in songs, TV series and movies. It was a world only to be found if you were willing to go off the beaten path, hidden from the mainstream masses.

While holding me tightly by the hand, my new love lead me into the underground house scene of New York City and introduced me to his friends at a party called Body and Soul. It was at this party where I got showered by positive energy, non-judgemental vibes, accepting and openhearted people.

As soon as I set foot on the dancefloor, I felt free. It wasn't important where I was from, what the color of my skin was, what sexual preference I had, or what religion I belonged to. It was not important how I looked or what clothes I was wearing. It was not important what degree or what job I had, where I was on the career ladder and how much money I earned.

How I danced my little booty off! How I danced and screamed and lifted my hands way up in the air. Weeee!

Finding my peeps

The beautiful individuals I met during that time in my life were all so damn colorful. They taught me how to choose my own path in life, how to pursue my dreams how to break free from conformism to a world I did not feel comfortable in. They also showed my how to create freely and with no hesitation. How to follow an artistic and creative path simply because there is no other way...

It was an interesting group of people who all loved to travel: Latino was from Italy, Linda from Iceland, Ouizee and Grady from Paris, Mehdi from Persia and so many more.

Untill this day I think of them with lots of love in my heart and it is because of them I have decided to turn away from working in corporate business and walk a different path in life.

drawing by me

Their adventurous spirits have inspired me to pack my bags and follow my heart. Show me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are. All of these people were and are close friends of the man I fell in love with and got married to.

And my life has been adventurous, colorful and so creative ever since then.

Today I will leave you with a song that brings me right back to our underground NYC house scene days.